The present invention relates generally to data processing and, more specifically, to processing, managing, routing, and distributing news content.
Before the wireless revolution in the latter part of the twentieth century, reporters regularly relied upon telegraph, telex, messenger services, wired telephones, facsimile or the like, to report their stories (news content) to news rooms. One limiting factor, however, was that it always required the reporters to be in one spot while writing or reporting the news content.
With the wide-spread availability of wireless communication devices, such as portable telephones, wireless computer connections, or the like, reporters can now write and report news content “on the go.” Thus, for example, a reporter may cover an event in the field, and while traveling to their next assignment, the reporter may write-up their story on a computer, a PDA, or the like. When finished, the reporter may wirelessly e-mail the news content to the news room.
Within the new wireless paradigm, the inventors of the present invention have recognized that in addition to receiving the timely news content from reporters, it is just as important for the newsroom to quickly get the news content published (e.g. on-the-air, in-print, web post). Currently, however, the inventors have realized that a substantial amount of human intervention is typically required to transform the news content received from the reporters to something that is publishable. Such tasks may be labor intensive.
The inventors recognize that burden of human intervention may be magnified when the news content from the reporter is distributed to more than one newsroom (e.g. network affiliate). In some cases, each newsroom may have its own criteria for importance of stories, their own formatting requirements, or the like. Because of this, each newsroom would have to manually analyze each e-mailed news report, and reformat the news content in an appropriate manner.
As is understood by the inventors, the value of news often diminishes with the passage of time. For example, news agencies compete fiercely to “scoop” the competition. Accordingly, delay in processing and distributing news content in this competitive environment may have harmful economic consequences.
In light of the above, a system, method, and apparatus, that can process news content quickly and efficiently is desired.